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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker added another prestigious accolade to his breakout 2026 campaign on Wednesday night, earning All-MLB second-team honors at the MLB Awards Show in Las Vegas. The recognition comes on the heels of his first All-Star selection and a Home Run Derby title, capping what has been a remarkable season for the 24-year-old.
For Walker, this marks the first All-MLB nod in his four-year big league tenure. After enduring three seasons of inconsistency, he finally delivered on his immense potential, performing at an elite level throughout the year. He was joined on the second-team outfield by former Cardinal Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners and James Wood of the Washington Nationals. The first-team outfield consisted of Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Chicago Cubs), and Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres).
Walker established career bests across a wide range of categories, including games played (158), runs (97), hits (164), doubles (33), home runs (29), RBI (102), walks (50), stolen bases (22), slugging percentage (.466), and OPS (.793). He also posted a .269 batting average and a .327 on-base percentage, his highest marks since his rookie season in 2023. Furthermore, he became the first Cardinals player since Tommy Pham in 2017 to record at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.
Despite his stellar production, Alec Burleson was not among the All-MLB selections at first base. Burleson, who became the first Cardinals player in 55 years to lead all of baseball in RBI, was a nominee but was edged out by Pete Alonso of the Baltimore Orioles (first team) and former Cardinal Willson Contreras, now with the Boston Red Sox (second team). Alonso posted a .267/.363/.522/.885 slash line with 24 doubles, 43 homers, and 113 RBI in 161 games. Contreras, traded from St. Louis to Boston last December, slashed .275/.386/.516/.902 with 21 doubles, 27 homers, and 81 RBI over 130 games.
By comparison, Burleson compiled 37 doubles, 26 home runs, and 116 RBI with a .279/.343/.473/.816 slash line in 160 games. He also led the majors in hits and doubles with runners in scoring position during the 2026 season.
Key Analysis
Walker's transformation at the plate was evident early on. After homering just once in his first seven games, he caught fire with seven long balls in a nine-game stretch. By the All-Star break, he had compiled a .294 average with 22 homers, 74 RBI, and 13 stolen bases, earning his first career All-Star nod. He then delivered a memorable performance in the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia, launching long balls on his final six swings to defeat hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber.
Beyond his offensive exploits, Walker also showed significant defensive improvement, recording nine outfield assists. However, his overall numbers might have been even more impressive if not for a late-season slump. After the Cardinals were eliminated from Wild Card contention, Walker struggled over his final 24 games in September, hitting just .172 with two homers, five RBI, and 35 strikeouts against seven walks.
Originally reported by yahoo.